The Raiders didn’t get much right defensively on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, but they did have a player that distanced himself from the rest of the defensive unit, based on Pro Football Focus analytics.
Maurice Hurst was by far the highest graded defensive player on Sunday and while that might come as a surprise, it probably shouldn’t. Hurst has been graded as a top-3 defensive player for the Raiders in each of the first four weeks and was actually PFF’s highest-graded Raider defender for the 2019 season.
To their credit, the Raiders defensive line did hold the Bills to 62 rushing yards on Sunday, but they are still looking for a breakthrough with their pass rush. The lone sack against the Bills came nine seconds after the snap and was a coverage sack more than anything else.
The hope was that with the addition of defensive line coach Rod Marinelli, the Raiders would improve even more along their defensive line, but to this point in the season you could argue that they have regressed – with the exception of Hurst.
Life won’t get any easier for Hurst and the defense in week 5 as the Raiders are traveling to Kansas City to play the undefeated Chiefs. Hurst will need a little help from the rest of the Vegas defensive line in that one… and maybe a miracle or two, as well.
twitter: @raidersbeat
I have been wondering why Hurst has not been on the field more. He has been playing well while others have not.
What is taking so long to fire this “Idiot of a defense coordinator “. We got his replacement unless he is just a ffffffnnn puppet??.
What are we waiting for- get rid of this “Bugel- Clown” send him back to Cincinnati. He can lose there. We have put up with enough & endured far too much of thd idiots “Garbage Defense Scheme” .
Disappointed with the defense they need to put pressure on the quarterback more blitzes more aggressive offense is to predictable on 3 down and short everyone knows Jacob’s gonna get the ball mix it up fool the defense perfect example on 4 and Jacob’s got the ball dont get me wrong he is a bulldog but Bill’s defense knew he was getting it
The raiders can beat the chiefs. If the raider’s don’t give the ball up, we can beat them. The defence has to show up on this one. The raiders will score on Kansas City with ease.
Mayoc, where’s the **** is Burfict?
The Mic LB has no Fucking Clew what he’s calling?
Bring in Thomas from the Seachickens to be a Veteran players Coach on the Field?
Stop this Nonsense and Start playing Raiders Smash mouth Football 😡🏈😡🏈😡🏈🙏
The Raiders have regressed so far this year and I don’t see any end in site. Who knows when they will win another game again. They are terrible in all phases of the game. Penalties continue to be a problem and the defense looks lost on most plays. Carr continues not to see open receivers down field. Jason Witten was open ten minutes before Carr finally saw him. Go look at the tape. Sorry boys but you are definitely not ready for prime time
I believe that these public embarrassments, by the Raiders, will ultimately result in a better team or as the song C’ste la Vie says, When you’re down there’s just one way to go. Ok, here we go with what is wrong with the Raiders. Gruden is hardheaded and insistent on doing it his way and It Ain’t Working. Gruden and formerly preordained GM Supreme Mike Mayock both would be better served returning to their former professions, Sports Commentator and Talent Analyst, respectively. The Raiders team is currently the victim of what happens when an obsolete coach and a theoretical talent analyst actually get the job. Well, “this hypothesis” has, at least, served to prove that there is a very discernible difference between the dream and reality. As we all know, Al Davis believed in a quick strike offense. The Raiders haven’t seen hide nor hair of that philosophy since forever. From their last Super Bowl win to their most recent one, the Kansas City Chiefs took 50 years and numerous makeovers. The sooner the Raiders begin to reinvent themselves, the better. Seven more years of Jon Gruden will only produce seven more years of excuses. The game has passed him by, point blank. All that is left is the eulogy and his official burial. I’ve read, very recently, that it’s just a matter of time before Paul Guenther is let go but, while apparently lots of people believe that, I’m not so sure. Of all the NFL head coaches, only Jon Gruden seems to not be able to see or realize that Nathan Peterman is the absolute worst quarterback to ever be called an NFL quarterback but still he has been, due to injury to Marcus Mariota, Derek Carr’s backup. If he had ever taken the field, only God knows what might have happened. So, if Jon Gruden has been insistent on keeping the absolute worst rated quarterback, in NFL history, I can easily envision him, Jon Gruden, keeping Paul Guenther despite all the evidence that he should be immediately released. Further, the debacle that is now, the Las Vegas Raiders defense consist of players that were hand picked and signed by none other than Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock. Need I say more about their choices? If this team were a Carr, pun intended, it would need to have a diagnostic done first and then all the recommended changes done by a professional with a working knowledge and skills of how to bring this machine up to snuff. Everyone knows that this machine (team) needs an overhaul and that anyone can have the title of (head coach) mechanic but without a doubt, all mechanics are not created equal.
Gotta run them into ground and keep patrick and the homies on the sideline,and on defense make sure we contain him,no running around then throwing haymakers,and keep safeties back,and dont let hill or any of them get past them!
The defense has been a bane for the Raiders for over a decade. The last time they were ranked higher than 20th overall was 2006 (18th).
The Raiders have just TWO defensive players left over from the 2018 team; Mo Hurst and Arden Key. And just when it appears players are ready to perform at a higher level, the team lets them go. Why did the Raiders keep Erik Harris over Karl Joseph? Is Maliek Collins really going to be that much better than Benson Mayowa? Nick Kwaitkowski and Carl Nassib look promising, but how can these players to learn each others tendencies and work together as a team when they don’t have continuity from one year to the next? The carousel of players and coaches is a serious problem.
The defense cannot be relied upon for two stops when the Raiders are two scores down with just over ten minutes to play. Game pressure builds as opponents rip off huge chunks of yardage and eat the clock. We didn’t have to be in the stadium to feel the pressure on the offense while playing the Bills. They begin to press and then bad things happen. Without a last-minute 4th-and-one stop on a very strange New Orleans call, the Raiders could very easily be 1-3.
With all of the changes in personnel, do we really believe swapping Gunther for Marinelli is going to change anything this year? At some point the organization needs to learn from history and stop the player/coach carrousel. Until the overall defense is consistently in the top 15, the Raiders will continue to struggle.
Why in the hell does paul shitty defense Gunther still have his job. Gruden needs to man up I don’t care if he is his friend. 3 years and still one of the worst defenses. Spent all that money on free agents and are defense numbers are even worse then last year in most areas. John gruden who I like but I’m just going to say it, he makes exacuses and doesn’t hold coaches accountable. He plays favorites and until Gruden can and will do something about our defense we will continue to struggle on defense and we won’t ever beat Kansas City. This isn’t Cincinnati and these aren’t the same players Paul Gunther had in Cincinnati. It’s a fking embarrassment every year.
How much are the Raidrs paying Paul Guenther? Does anyone know?
Don’t blame Mayock for Gruden. If you leave Mayock alone, we’ll be more than good. You think Mayock is bringing in Witten, Jeff Heath, and paying Harris a combined like 11-12 million guaranteed? That’s why we can’t sign Ngwakoue, a young talent.
Solution: owner steps up and makes everyone stay in their lane and fire Guenther. Mark Davis gotta stop letting Gruden “own the team”
Raiderant,
I like what you have said and respect your opinion. Now, what you may not be aware or mindful of is that, when Mark Davis inherited this team, he said; “The only thing that I know about football is what I don’t know about football.” That’s why he hired Jon Gruden after Jon Gruden blew smoke up Mark Davis’ *** and Davis turned over TOTAL control of this team to Jon Gruden. Bottom line, Mark Davis, through television revenues alone is going to make money off of this team if they do or don’t win games. He, Mark Davis, doesn’t know football like his father did. That’s NOT his forte’. So, don’t expect ANYTHING from Mark Davis UNLESS some of the minority owners get in hhis ear and then he fires Gruden. Plain and simple. Nonetheless, I like how you think and your passion for the Raiders.
Who are the new WAPs of the NFL? The Las Vegas Raiders. Why? Because EVERYBODY is fuc*ing them. Jon Grueling is fuc*ing Mark Davis and Raider Nation by keeping Paul Guenther, not signing Anthony Gordon off of the Seattle Seahawks’ practice squad, they signed Darren Waller off of the Baltimore Ravens’ practice squad and look at what he has given them, and keeping Nathan Peterman who is unanimously considered the absolute worst quarterback in NFL history. Additionally, he, Jon Gruden has let go of Karl Joseph, P.J. Hall, literally giving away money to Damarius Randall for nothing and then releasing him and signing Jeff Heath, who has given the Las Vegas Raiders absolutely nothing. Jon Grueling’s 13 wins and 23 losses, as the Las Vegas Raiders head coach, would get him booted by any other NFL franchise. How long, at 10 million dollars a year, do you keep a “head coach” with a 13 and 23 win / loss record? Under Jon Grueling’s “leadership,” LMFAO, this team has balked at signing Yannick Ngakoue, not replaced the productivity of Khalil Mack and beaten one playoff team, the New Orleans Saints, since his return. Since Jon Grueling has no clue at how to pick or assess talent, perhaps the best move, for this franchise, is to look at players on other team’s practice squads and build a team from them.During the off season, Jon Grueling pitched Alec Ingold as the second coming of Mike Alstott and we’re still waiting. Foster Moreau was supposed to become the compliment to Darren Waller and form a dynamic duo of two unrecoverable tightends and we’re still waiting. Paul Guenther and Rod Marinelli were supposed to work together to form a formidable defense and we’re still waiting. Jon Grueling was supposed to show off his elite coaching skills and knowledge and… we’re still waiting. Mark Davis was supposed to bring a winning football team to Las Vegas and……………